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54 Phil. 13

[ G.R. No. 33139, October 11, 1930 ]

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, PLAINTIFF

AND APPELLANT, VS. JOSE MA. PAMINTUAN ET AL., DEFENDANTS
AND APPELLEES.

DECISION

VILLA-REAL, J.:

This is an appeal taken by the Government of the Philippine Islands from the
judgment of the Court of First Instance of Manila dismissing its complaint and
absolving the defendants, without costs.

"XL That subsequent to the distribution of the decedent's estate to the

defendants herein, that is, on February 16, 1927, the plaintiff discovered
the fact that the deceased Florentino Pamintuan has not paid the amount
of four hundred and sixty-two pesos (P462) as additional income tax and
surcharge for the calendar year 1919, on account of the sale made by
him on November 14, 1919, of his house and lot located at 922 M. H. del
Pilar, Manila, from which sale he realized a net profit or income of Pl
1,000, which was not included in his income-tax return filed for said year
1919.

"XII. That the defendants cannot disprove that the deceased Florentino
Pamintuan made a profit of P11,000 in the sale of the house referred to in
paragraph XI hereof because they have destroyed the voluminous records
and evidences regarding the sale in question and other similar
transactions which might show repairs on the house, commissions, and
other expenses tending to reduce the profit obtained as mentioned
above.

"XIII. That demand for the payment of the income tax referred to herein
was made on February 24, 1927, on the defendants but they refused and
still refuse to pay the same either in full or in part."

With regard to the first assignment of error, this court held in Pineda vs. Court of
First Instance of Tayabas and Collector of Internal Revenue (52 Phil, 803):

"To reply to these contentions in turn, we observe that, while there are a
few courts that have expressed themselves to the effect that a claim for
taxes due to the Government, should be presented like other claims to
the committee appointed for the purpose of passing upon claims, the
clear weight of judicial authority is to the effect that claims for taxes and

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assessments, whether assessed before or after the death of the decedent,

are not required to be presented to the committee. (24 C. J., 325; People
vs. Olvera, 43 Cal., 492; Hancock vs. Whittemore, 50 Cal., 522; Findley
vs. Taylor, 97 Iowa, 420; Bogue vs. Laughlin, 149 Wis., 271; 40 L. R. A.
[N. S.], 927; Ann. Cas. 1913 C., p. 1367.)" See also In re Estate of Frank
H. Goulette (G. R. No. 32361,[1] decided on September 22, 1930.

The administration proceedings of the late Florentino Pamintuan having been closed,
and his estate distributed among his heirs, the defendants herein, the latter are
responsible for the payment of the income tax here in question in proportion to the
share of each in said estate, in accordance with section 731 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, and the doctrine of this court laid down in Lopez vs. Enriquez (16 Phil,
336), as follows:

''Estate; Liability of Heirs and Distributees.Heirs are not required to

respond with their own property for the debts of their deceased
ancestors. But even after the partition of an estate, heirs and distributees
are liable individually for the payment of all lawful outstanding claims
against the estate in proportion to the amount or value of the property
they have respectively received from the estate. The hereditary property
consists only of that part which remains after the settlement of all lawful
claims against the estate, for the settlement of which the entire estate is
first liable. The heirs cannot, by any act of their own or by agreement
among themselves, reduce the creditors' security for the payment of their
claims. (Pavia vs. De la Rosa, 8 Phil., 70; sees. 731, 749, Code of Civil
Procedure; art. 1257, Civil Code.)"

For the reasons stated, we are of opinion and so hold that claims for income taxes
need not be filed with the committee on claims and appraisals appointed in the
course of testate proceedings and may be collected even after the distribution of the
decedent's estate among his heirs, who shall be liable therefor in proportion to their
share in the inheritance.

Wherefore, let the defendants pay the plaintiff the sum of P462, with 1 per centum
monthly interest from August 19,1927 until fully paid, as follows: Tomasa Centeno
0.0571 per cent, and each one of the other defendants 0.0784 per cent, with costs
against the appellees. So ordered.

Avancea, C. J., Street, Malcolm, Ostrand, Johns and Romualdez, JJ., concur.

[1] Whitney vs. Collector of Internal Revenue, not reported.

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